The Green Wave actually had three fullbacks, but all had been converted from their primary positions in high school.

Now, though, Tulane has a fullback, who, if not born to play the position, certainly grew up in it.

Freshman Casey Stelly moved into the starting lineup in the second game and is a prime reason Tulane's rushing numbers are better (9 yards more per game through six games) than in 2007, when Matt Forte posted the No. 7 mark in Division I-A history with 2,127 yards.

Not that Stelly carries the ball. To date, he doesn't have any, although Green Wave Coach Bob Toledo might yet "throw him a bone."

"I wish he would," said Stelly, who does have three receptions.

Stelly excels as the lead blocker between the tackles or on stretch plays to the outside, where the plan for Stelly is to pancake the first player he encounters in a different-colored jersey.

"I don't even know how to describe how good that feels," Stelly said.

With someone like that in front of him, it's small wonder then that Tulane tailback Andre Anderson is the nation's No. 4 rusher at 142.0 yards per game heading into Saturday's game against Rice.

And don't think Anderson doesn't appreciate Stelly's contributions.

"Casey loves to run into big guys," Anderson said. "He's fearless. He'll run into a wall. I've never seen anybody who hits people like he does. He's a madman sometimes."

And in turn, Stelly relishes clearing a path for Anderson.

"It was awesome that Matt got 2,000 yards last season, and now Andre is on pace to come close to it," he said. "The linemen and I feel like his yards are our yards, too. We just love blocking for him."

Pure fullbacks are hard to find these days, with most high schools running the spread or a variation of it. But in Toledo's version of the West Coast offense, featuring the I-formation, a fullback is vital, first as a blocker, occasionally as a receiver and rarely as a runner. The Green Wave has used a fullback in about 72 percent of its snaps this season.

The only problem was that with Tulane running the spread under former coach Chris Scelfo, the Green Wave hadn't had a scholarship fullback since 2003.

So last season, the Green Wave made do with converted linebacker Jeremy McKinney, former defensive end Cody Blackwelder and Jordan Stephany, who primarily was a tailback in high school.

And, considering Forte's season, Tulane made do quite well.

But the desire was to find someone more suited to the position, and the Green Wave found one in Stelly, who had been a fullback since his days in recreation leagues in Lafayette through his prep years at St. Thomas More.

"Casey loves it. He absolutely loves it," running backs coach Greg Davis said. "And because fullback is all he's ever played, he understands the position. He's also the right size (6 feet 1, 239 pounds, up 20 from his prep playing weight).

"But what really makes him special is his willingness to hit people right in the middle of the body."

Stelly, whose other offers were from Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State, showed his willingness to hit early on, breaking two helmets and three face masks during fall camp.

"I wore the same helmet in high school for four years and never had a problem," he said. "Everybody in Division I football hits a lot harder."

Still, Stelly wasn't just handed the starting job. McKinney, Blackwelder and Stephany played well last season. But McKinney, who was the team's primary fullback in '07, had to give up football because of a back condition, and Stelly, through his willingness to hit anybody, quickly moved into the mix.

In fact, Stelly's nickname, "Frog," because of the way he gets into a three-point stance, was upgraded to "Bullfrog" by his fellow running backs because of his aggressiveness.

"It's rare to find a kid that likes contact like Casey does," Davis said. "And he's conditioned well enough to go out there play after play after play."

With Blackwelder out indefinitely with a pinched nerve, and Stephany missing Tulane's last game at Texas-El Paso on Oct. 11, Stelly was the only fullback used in the Green Wave's 24-21 setback.

And he was put to good use. Besides helping Anderson rush for 255 yards, Stelly had two receptions covering 11 and 8 yards, both of which garnered first downs.

"They told me if I got tired to let them know, but I never did," Stelly said. "It's too much fun being out there.

"I feel like I'm a little bit of a lineman with my blocking, a little bit of running back, a little bit of a tight end and a little bit of everything. I'm just living the dream."